John p



(No Model.)

J. P. SMPTE.

FISH TRAP, No. 356,797. Patented Feb'. l, 1887 "Unirse STnTss PnTnnT @Trios JOHN l). SMITH, OF EXETER, NEV HAMPSHlR-E, ASSGNOR OF ONBHALF TO FRANK J. BROWNE, OF SAME PLACE, AND HERBERT J. BROWNE, OF XVASHXGTON, DISTRGT OF COLUMBIA.

FISHMTRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,797, dated February 1, 1887.

Applcctionrlcd November 2B, 1886. Serial No. 219,957. (No model.) t

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN l?. SMPTE, a citieen of the United States, residing et Exeter, in the county of Rockingham and State of New 5 Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-Treps5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such es will enable others skilled in the art to which it eppertains to ineke and use the seine, reference being hed to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon,which form apart of this speciiicetion.

In the drawings, Figure l is e. front view of the trap, showing it set. Fig. 2 is e central vertical section showing thetrep closed. Fig. 3 is o. side view, also showing the trap closed.

This trop is designed particularly for catching fish; lend to that end it consists in two 2o jews provided with sharp teeth, which are adapted to automatically close and catch the head of the fish when the heit is seized.

The tmp is supported by e hollow bar, A, which is adapted to be attached to e shingline. To the lower endof this rod is secured a cross-ber, B, to the outer ends of which are pivoted the two jaws C C. These jaws are each seniicircular in shape, and each jaw cerries e series of sharp-pointed teeth, c c, which are located on the onder side of each jaw throughout its entire extent. These teeth may be either straight, curved, plain, or provided with barbed points, es illustrated in the dill ferent gures. Pivoted to the lower end of the bar A,on opposite sides thereof, are two levers, D D, which are respectively connected to the center of each jew by rods E E.

A sliding tubular collar, F, formed with a flange, b, fits over and slides npon the bar A. This collar is connected to the levers D D by links G G, which are pivoted et opposite ends to the flange b, and to the levers between -the points where seid levers are pivoted to the loer A, and connected to the rods E E.

Between e iiange, c, xed to the bar A, and the ilenge l) on the sliding collar is located c strong coiled spring, E, surrounding the bar A. When the coller F is et its highest position the spring H is compresssed, and the jews are held up as shown in Fig. l, and in this position the jaws are set when the trop is to be used; but on releasing the jaws they are pushed forcibly downward toward each other by the force of the coiled spring into the po siticn shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The jews ere held in their uppermost or set position by the following mechanism: Rigidly secured to the bar A is e laterally-extending 2mn, I, to the outer end of which is pivoted a trip-catch, J. This catch hes en open notch, d, in which is held a, projection, e, on the upper end of one of the levers D. This catch is pivoted to turn in e vertical plane, and it is prevented from turning by engaging with the end of e horizontal tripping-lever, lLwhich is pivoted to e bracket on the upper side of the erm I.

rlhe trencher L, which may be either en ordinery hook or a screw, es shown in the drewings, is secured to a rod, M, which is located. within the hollow ber A. The upper end of this rod is connected to the inner end of the tripping-lever K, which extends through aslot, f, in one side of the hollow ber A. The trencher is preferably a screw, as shown in Fig. 1, since the screw holds the beit more securely. llhen the trap is set, as in Fig. l, and a fish takes hold of the beit on the trencherL and attempts to pull upon it, the rod M is pulled downward, thus lifting the outer end of the trip-lever K. This moving' of the triplever disengages it from the trip-catch J which is thus free to turn on its pivot and release the Linw-lever D. The jews are then shut by the spring H, and the sharp teeth a a are forced into the heed of the fish.

This trap, though designed more especially for the catching of sh, may be equally well used for catching small game.

I claim es my invention- 1. A hollow bar and a. pcirof springectulated jaws pivoted on opposite sides of saidber so as to turn toward each other, in combination with o. catch carried by said bar and engaging seid jaws to hold the same in their set posi tion, and a. trencher-rod located within seid hollow ber and connected to seid catch, substentielly as set forth.

2. A central bar, a cross-bar secured to the lower end of said central bar, jaws pivoted to said cross-bar, levers pivoted to said central bar, and rods connecting saidlevers to the center of each jaw, in combination with asliding collar embracing and sliding on said central bar, and pivoted links connecting said collar to said levers, substantially as set forth.

3. A central bar, A, a cross-bar, B, secured to the lower endthereof, two semicircnlar jaws, C C, pivoted by their ends to said cross-bar, said jaws being` provided with sharp-pointed teeth a a, levers D D, pivoted to the central bar, and rods E E, connecting said levers to the center of each jaw, in combination with a sliding collar, F, embracing and sliding on said central bar, pivoted links G G, connect ing said collar to said levers, said links being` pivoted to the levers between the points where the latter are pivoted to the central bar and connected to the jaw-rods, andacoiled spring, II, surrounding the central bar and located between a xedstop on the central bar and said sliding collar, substantially as set forth.

4. The central hollow bar, the spring-actuated jaws carried thereby, and the levers c011- nected to said jaws, in combination with the trip-catch which engages one of said levers, the tripping-lever which engages the catch at one end and passes through a slot in the central bar at its other end, and a trencher-rod located within said hollow bar and connected to the inner end of said tripping-lever, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OHN P. SMITH. Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. MoULToN, EDWARD FORD. 

